=1

I loved their last offerings, Infinite and Whoosh. This is so different, a return to their hard rock origins. Each line up has had its own sound, to be expected especially when you change guitarists or singers and this line up is no different. This album shows the band can still produce absolute quality and importantly. good songs. This does remind me of a more Blackmoreesque Purple both early seventies and eighties. And, dare I say it, also of Rainbow at times...but still original and unmistakably Purple.I'm thankful the band decided to continue to make albums and not just tour. I only hope some of these songs get into to the live set. Not enough from the last two albums did and while I understand people want to hear the old classics I for one have heard them enough. This new album is vibrant, well produced and it rocks. Never write this group off.

Love this album great tracks just like the old purple and sounded great live to.

When i first heard Steve Morse had left the band,my first thought was NOW WHAT ? for the fantastic group,i shouldnt have worried Deep Purple has always been a band with INFINITE possibilities and after a fresh WHOOSH of inspiration they have turned out a belter of an album.There isnt a bad track on here, no filler just a series of short sharp and straight to the point songs,only 1 track over 5 minutes. Its hard to pick a favourite but i will try..The opener 'Show Me' with its delightful call and response section between Don Airey and Simon Mcbride,just beautiful or the vocal phrasing from Ian Gillan on 'Old Fashioned Thing' reminiscent of 1971's 'Anyone's Daughter or the melodic ''I'll Catch You'.Truth be told this might actual be the best of the last 4 proper studio albums (ignoring 'Turning To Crime, as that was a bit of fun). Simon McBride's performance ensures Steve isnt missed and i mean that with all due respect to the great man, its a seemless transfer from one guitarist to another.This album definitely has McBride's and Airey's fingerprints all over it, and they are definitely the main men, Gillan of course sound wonderful and Paice and Glover do their thing with minimum fuss,no flash,just top notch musicianship.Never thought i would be hoping for another new 'Live ' album by 'Purple' but i would love one from this line up and hope they fill it with tracks off this disc,yes its that good.

There's not a dull second on this latest magnum opus by Deep Purple. This is very good indeed and is chock-a-block with swirling riffs and strong and vibrant vocals from Ian Gillan.His lyrics are up to his usual high standards with many a twist and turn to continuously grab the listener's attention. The entire album is predominantly fast moving with little repetition allowed and includes just the one slower number, 'I'll Catch You'. The band's timing on instrumental sections throughout is always something else. New guitar recruit Simon McBride does not disappoint with his fast, strong riffing and flurry’s of guitar solos where he doesn’t waste a note. He’s a tight, economical player and perfect for Deep Purple’s type of music.Back in June, when DP released the 'Pictures Of You' 12" & CD single, there was an interesting crossover from that title track into the following 'Portable Door'. Although the new album has a different sequence, however, the crossover from 'Pictures Of You' into 'I'm Saying Nothin'' is just as good. Bob Ezrin is producer again for the fifth album running and he’s integral to the band’s sound.The accompanying DVD ‘Access All Areas’ filmed during the European Tour in November 2022 is a well paced insight into the band’s backline setup with crew and with rehearsal footage.This album will be getting a lot of play.

Produced by Bob Ezrin, this is the classic DP sound but a new energy powered by new guitarist Simon McBride (replacing Steve Morse). Thems big shoes to fill but he nails it. Harking back to their early-70s pomp, they maybe getting older but they’re still damn good.

In any Deep Purple concert there are times when the disparate threads of keys, guitars and vocals come together and create moments of excellence, and if you put those moments together in a studio you get this album. Let's be honest time takes a toll, the raw energy of In Rock or Machine Head are long gone and there are excellent young bands out there doing their thing, this doesn't seek to compete with that.What we have here is Ezrin Deep Purple with a new energy courtesy of Simon McBride and a new direction. A departure as radical as House of Blue Light was from Perfect Strangers. The sound is incredibly rich and complex, all the songs are strong, the band are on fire and Gillan sounds fantastic. Some of this is mind-blowing, sure if you don't like Purple it probably isn't for you (although it is very listenable); but if you do like Purple you are going to love this. If this is the end it is one hell of an exit. Highlights - many but "Now You're Talking" is pretty special.

Gran cd de Deep Purple siempre entregando calidad

I have no idea where ‘= 1’ ranks within the Deep Purple discography (I truly admire every album); but what I know for sure is that this beats just about anything I’ve heard by anybody in recent years. New guy Simon McBride fits in seamlessly creating yet another formidable line-up (although they've all been 'classics' in my mind). If you are a hard rock fan who appreciates elite musicianship and songwriting, don’t miss this. Throughout the decades, nothing sounds quite like Deep Purple; and that might be the greatest thing that can be said about this institution.

With the addition of guitarist extraordinaire Steve Morse in the mid-90s, Deep Purple began making some of the most adventurous and intriguing music of their career. The work produced by the "Mk VII" and "Mk VIII" lineups demonstrated a flexibility and diversity that many bands in middle age disavow in favor of sticking to best-of tracklists and the tired formulas that won them glory 30 years ago. Albums from the reinvigorating "Purpendicular" in 1996 (cited by keyboardist Jon Lord as one of his five favorite Purple albums) to the thrilling "Whoosh" in 2020 were more daring and clever than even the bombastic arrangements dreamed up in their Mk I prog days, or some of the more complex material from the legendary Mk II.Deep Purple came to a crossroads recently when Steve Morse left the band to care for his wife after her cancer diagnosis. Morse had become the band's longest serving guitarist - twenty-seven consecutive years - and, even with the loss of Jon Lord and the addition of Don Airey on keyboards, the Mk VII & VIII lineups had become legendary in their own right. The band did what it does best after Morse's exist - they carried on. Simon McBride was chosen as the new guitarist, and now, "=1" is another addition to the band's habit of thriving over surviving.This album is exciting and lively, Purple's strengths brought to the fore by legendary producer Bob Ezrin, at the helm for his fifth album with the band. It's always a bit tacky to mention a rock band's age when extolling their virtues, but it's no small feat that, as they near their 80s, four of the five members are as exciting as ever: Ian Gillan's vocals are potent and powerful, his lyrics typically insightful and clever, Roger Glover's bass and craftsmanship are top notch, Don Airey's keyboard playing is magical, and Ian Paice hasn't lost a beat on drums. Simon McBride no doubt deserves praise for the album's energy, as his guitar playing has given the band a proverbial shot in the arm.Three of the album's most stunning tracks - "Portable Door," "Pictures of You," and "Lazy Sod" best encapsulate how much of a victory this disc is for the band. It's the closing track, however, "Bleeding Obvious," that deserves the most attention: if it turns out to be the last track on the last Deep Purple album, its winding structure and philosophical view would make it a stellar way to end the band's lengthy catalogue.If it does turn out to be the end, "=1" couldn't be a finer conclusion to the Deep Purple story. A much happier one than a covers album.

Unglaublich, aber es stimmt. Es ist wirklich eine renaissance und noch viel mehr! Ich habe purple ende 2022 bei einem wegen corona verschobenem konzert in der stuttgarter schleyerhalle gesehn. Ich hatte wegen einiger vorhergehenden lapidaren performances mit morse überhaupt keine erwartungen mehr....und daher war ich wie vom donner gerührt und völlig ungläubig, was ich da zu hören bekam. Desgleichen Mitte 2024 in Winterbach. Endlich wieder fetter agressiver heavy- und hardrock, für den purple zumindest bis 1973 bekannt war und durch den sich auch ihr ruf begründet hat! Endlich klang "hush" wieder nach "hush" und " hard lovin man" nach "hard lovin man"! Auch "smoke" hatte wieder ein ungeahntes von mir schon längst vermisstes feeling und hörerlebnis zu bieten! Als logische folge habe ich mir - gott sei dank - seit langem (seit der schwachen slaves and masters) wieder eine neue purpleerscheinung gekauft. Und die hat sich genauso gelohnt wie die oben genannten konzerte! Das album übertrumpft "who do we think we are" locker und könnte sich fast unter die grossen smasher zu beginn der 70er einreihen. Es trumpft mit straightem rock, der teilweise wieder richtig fett auf die fr.... geht, regelrecht auf! Man bekommt wieder die typischen strophenbegleitenden motivreihen und powerchords mit dicken knalligen gitarrensounds verbunden mit gefälligen melodieführungen, einer bombigen virtuosität und dem typischen miteinander und konzertieren zwischen gitarre und keyboards zu hören, teilweise zum zungenschnalzen! Die songqualität ist bis auf 2 stücke (werde ich nicht nennen, da geschmäcker verschieden sind) richtig gut. Darüberhinaus wagen sich purple auch öfters in fremdklingende gefilde vor. Passagen die von gary moore stammen könnten, einleitungen wie von iron maiden, progressive sololäufe marke steve vai und songs, die sogar leicht an aerosmith erinnern: alles dabei und am anfang teils leicht befremdlich, nach mehrmaligem anhören aber überhaupt nicht mehr störend sondern eher bereichernd wirkend. Es geht flott, mal mit midtempo, auch balladenhaft zur sache. Abspieltips sind für mich "i'm saying nothing", "a bit on the side" und "now you are talkin". Umrahmt wird das ganze von den wohl besten songs des albums: "show me" und "bleeding obvious". Letzteres ist ein richtig komplexes progressives songmonster mit wahnsinnigen high-speedsoloeinlagen und fetten powerchordriffs, das ich nach mehrmaligem anhören richtig lieben gelernt habe. Das album bietet nbischen "in rock", ein bischen "fireball", einen touch "who do we think we are" versehen mit einer prise "down to earth" von rainbow, und trotzdem wirkt die platte nicht nachempfunden, sondern völlig eigen. Versucht man die instrumentalen leistungen von mcbride, airey, paicey (der endlich mal wieder richtig snaredrummig und zeitweise wirblig lostrommelt) den groovigen gloverbass und den durchaus richtig ansprechenden immerhin schon 80 jahre alten gillan nur für sich allein zu betrachten, ändert sich nichts: hier liegt ein absolut großartiger wurf einer der wahrscheinlich wichtigsten und besten bands auf dem hardrock- und rock'n'rollsektor vor! Klare kaufempfehlung!

Es un CD para los muy cafeteros de los Purple.Este es uno de mis bandas preferidas, pero ya lo he dicho muchas veces les falta personalidad.Tienen que tocar todos al compas del cantante. Aun así vale la pena tenerlos en nuestra discoteca.El señor Blackmore era una persona arrogante y subido de tono, pero le daba una gran personalidad a la banda.